Harmony Undone: The Rise of Order
by zodiacspear
Summary: The World of Equestria is a world of balance and harmony, when the balance is tipped in one direction the opposing element swells to counter it. With Discord released, reformed and living along side the ponies, there is more chaos in the world than there was; and now the world must find its balance, but in what manner? Story set between seasons 3 and 4.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In a remote part of Equestria, a trio of pony adventurers made their way through the dense underbrush of the jungle. This particular jungle lay far to the south of Equestria's borders; the land was mostly uninhabited and unexplored. Many legends surrounded the land, but for every legend there were several dangers.

Many brave ponies risked the jungle to make the greatest discovery of their lifetimes. The few that did came back with tales of exotic animals and plants. Even rarer were the tales of ancient ruins of a civilization long since lost to time. No one knew who built the ruins, and no known record of their existence remained.

The rumors of these ruins led to whispers of treasure housed within. The first explorers returning home with saddlebags full of gold and gems lent credit to these rumors, which in turn led many brave-or foolhardy-ponies to the jungle. Many never returned, but the promise of easy riches kept them coming despite the dangers.

The three were confident they could face any threat and succeed where many had failed. An earth pony led the way, cutting a path through the thick brush with a machete gripped in his teeth. His dark gray mane was tangled and knotted from moving through the dense foliage. His auburn coat had cuts and bruises all over. His cutie mark was a spy glass; signifying his destiny to be an adventurer. He paused to wipe the sweat from his brow before continuing on.

The pegasus behind him paused to take a drink from her canteen with her good wing. "How much further are we going today Wanderer?" she asked the lead pony.

The aquamarine coated mare brushed a stray lock of her teal colored mane from her face. The opal beaded necklace she wore reflected the evening sunlight. She looked to her injured wing with a disapproving frown before she glanced to her three coin cutie mark. She huffed before looking back at Wanderer.

He chopped a thick bush out of the way, before sheathing the blade on his side. "A little further; we still have some daylight left." he said, continuing on ahead.

She rolled her eyes, and the unicorn behind her spoke up. "We've maybe an hour left before dusk. We need to find a place to set up camp for the night." The rust-colored male unicorn had his right foreleg wrapped from an injury from only a few hours earlier. His mane was an orange-red color, and an astrolabe, a classic tool used for sea navigation, served as his cutie mark.

Wanderer snorted dismissively. "That is an hour yet to use. Come on Tormod, Tourmaline. There is something up ahead, I can feel it." Wanderer said confidently, the underbrush thinned out some and the going became easier.

The other two huffed but followed their leader, slow smirks crossing their faces. His easy smile and confident demeanor was infectious. He had led them through other adventures with nothing more than a gut feeling and a strong will. He, however, was known to get lost on the occasion, and it was usually up to his two friends to get him out of trouble.

The three had known each other since foalhood, and had been close ever since. They all dreamed of one day being known as the greatest adventurers of their time, and if they found a long lost ruin, that sought-after dream would become a reality.

They continued on, but all they found in that hour was more brush. As the sun set, even Wanderer had to grudgingly admit they needed to stop. They had found a small clearing that made for a perfect camp site. With a quick buck Wanderer had his saddlebags and machete off. His friends followed suit and camp was quickly made.

As the moon began its rise, Wanderer took the time to update his logbook, keeping track of their progress. The other two were unrolling their bed rolls for the night; as bone tired as they were, it would not take long for sleep to find them.

Tourmaline, the pegasus, glanced over to Wanderer as she applied a fresh bandage to her wing. "I didn't think 'nothing but brush' would be worth writing down in the log book." she remarked sarcastically.

Wanderer looked up from his writing, the pencil still in his mouth, and gave her a flat stare.

"-Though I'm sure whoever finds us in this forgotten jungle can happily read about the flora we've see, if they haven't already figured it out for themselves." she said, giving him an impish smile.

He rolled his eyes and jotted down his final thoughts, something none too flattering about his companions.

"We actually managed five miles today, despite the misstep." Wanderer remarked, glancing to the rust colored unicorn. "How is that cut doing Tormod?"

The bandage the unicorn lifted from his leg, surrounded by a red colored aura. The unicorn's magic lifting it from its place to reveal the recent, yet healing wound. "Sore, but thankfully not infected." he said, taking time to apply a healing balm and fresh bandages to the cut.

"That rock python caught us by surprise, we are lucky that cut was the worst of it," Wanderer said, referring to a magical creature that was, literally, a python made of sharp edged stone. "We'll let you take last watch; give you time to rest."

Tourmaline furrowed her brow. "So who gets mid watch?"

"Flip a coin for it?" Wanderer asked her with a grin.

"Not with your bit."

"I got rid of that trick bit a long time ago."

"I'm not taking a chance with you again."

Tormod rolled his eyes at the two's banter. "How about closest to a number?" he offered. His companions readily agreed to the game of chance.

"Got it," he said after a moment's thought. "Between one and twenty."

"Fourteen," Tourmaline said quickly.

"Eight," Wanderer countered.

"Fifteen," Tormod stated with a not-so-sorry look to Wanderer.

The earth pony sighed in defeat, his shoulders slumping. Tourmaline celebrated her victory with a cheer.

"First watch is yours," he said to her, a smirk on his face.

Her victory was short lived as she realized that sleep would have to wait.

It was well into the night when Tourmaline woke him for his watch.

"Anything?" he asked as he tried to shake the grogginess away.

"Nothing. It's quiet out." she reported, exhaustion clearly seen in her expression.

He shook his head one last time. "Alright, get some sleep, Tourmaline. We'll find something tomorrow."

"Right." She didn't sound convinced, and curled up on her bedroll quickly falling asleep.

Wanderer stood apart from his sleeping companions, the dying campfire's light was hard on his night vision. As he kept alert for danger, he couldn't help but agree with Tourmaline that it was unusually quiet. Even the wild animals seemed subdued. It was the middle of the night, but the previous nights it seemed to him the jungle was no less quiet than in the day. It almost seemed to him that the jungle was afraid to make a sound. Why that was, he didn't know, but he intended to find out come daybreak.

A few hours into his watch, he caught himself nodding off and slapped himself to keep sleep at bay. He and his companions hated middle watch; interrupted sleep was the worst.

He noticed the clouds were beginning to thin out. Allowing the moon to shine through the jungle. He didn't know if it was a trick of the moonlight, but a glint off to his left caught his eyes. He squinted, trying to see better, his ears alert for danger. When nothing made itself known, he stood and gathered his machete and went to look. He made sure not to go far and leave his companions without a guard. However, true to his namesake, he could not help but wander.

Fortunately, he did not have to go far to find the source of the glint. As he made his way through the jungle, his hazel colored eyes widened in wonder at the sight he found. The jungle gave way to an old sprawling ruin. It's size and shape hinted that it was a temple of some kind.

Wanderer was elated at the discovery. Finally, they had found something! This discovery could put their names in history books and they would be remembered as the great adventurers he and his friends were destined to be.

He made his way back to the camp at a brisk pace; his excitement would not allow for less. He paused frequently to mark a tree with a simple mark from his machete to show the path back to the ruin. When he made his way back to the camp he could see his hurried commotion had already woken his friends who were chasing the last signs of sleep from their eyes.

"Wanderer? What in the name of Celestia are you doing?" Tourmaline asked sourly.

"I found something in the woods; a ruin! It's not far from here. Come on you two, get your things, and let's go." he said excitedly, practically prancing like a colt.

Tormod sat down heavily on his haunches. "Are you sure it is a ruin and not a figment of your imagination?"

"Tormod, would I be this excited if I wasn't sure? It's the real thing. Get off your rump and move."

The unicorn yawned, "Can it not wait for morning? It's not going to go anywhere."

Wanderer gave him a dubious look. "You expect me to wait and try to sleep knowing what we've been searching for is nothing but a buck's toss away?"

"Get up, Tormod," Tourmaline said, already gathering her gear to go. "If he said he found something, I believe him."

With a defeated sigh, Tormod began to collect his gear.

Less than an hour later, the three stood before the entrance of the ruin; their weariness now forgotten with the elation of the discovery. The ruin was a large square-shaped building that resembled a place of worship, though not to any figure the three knew. The jungle had taken part of the temple grounds back, though strangely the temple itself seemed untouched. It was as if the plant life was hesitant to grow near it. The animal life was also eerily absent of the area, and it was gravely quiet.

Fearlessly, Wanderer gathered his lantern and moved for the entrance.

"Wanderer, wait." Tourmaline said, visibly unnerved at the place's stillness. " I don't think we should go in yet."

Talking with the lantern still in his mouth, he turned to her with confidence, "It's alright, Tourmaline. The three of us together, there isn't anything that can stop us. We can't let fear get the best of us."

"But this place feels wrong somehow. It's … still," she explained, looking around nervously.

"It is only scary because we haven't conquered it yet. Once we go inside and learn its secrets, there won't be a thing to worry about anymore."

She didn't appear entirely convinced but Wanderer came back and placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder.

"Come on, we've got this," he said to her reassuringly.

She smiled softly to him, blushing a little, and nodded. Tormod waited a moment before following them inside.

Inside the temple they found a large central room, with a pedestal in the middle of the room; ringed by rows of low stone benches. The place was in a state of disarray. Though the jungle refused to touch it, time and the elements held no such compunction. A portion of the roof had collapsed and many of the benches were cracked and broken. The walls and pillars were adorned with images of ponies; all genuflecting before a stallion standing above them all. The worn stone etching made details hard to come by, but they could see the stallion carried a scepter of some sort.

As they looked around, Wanderer noticed one of the etchings of the stone glittered in the lantern light. He peered at it closely.

"Tormod, can you give me some light?" he asked as he sat down his lantern and dug through his pack for a chisel and hammer. Using one hoof to brace the chisel and holding the hammer in his teeth, he pried away a small gemstone from an indention in the stallion's chest. Setting his tools down, he scooped up the gemstone and scrutinized it closer in the light offered from his friend's horn.

"Amethyst," Tourmaline said before the others could. The violet gemstone was about an inch long and just as wide, and brilliantly cut.

"This alone makes our venture worth our time." Tormod said with a wide grin, using his magic to place the stone in his bag.

Wanderer smiled. It would be more than the riches that made this trip worthwhile, he thought. He noticed Tourmaline was removing the wrapping from her wing and stretching the appendage.

"Are you sure you're ready to fly?" he asked, concern in his voice, even if he didn't know of his own unease.

She smiled reassuringly at him, stretching to her full wingspan. "Don't you worry, I'm not about to miss a chance to see this place from above." With that she sprang into the air to get a bird's-eye view of the temple. He watched her fly around; despite a wince here and there, she seemed to handle it as well as she always did.

Through the broken roof, Wanderer could see the beginning of daylight washing over the filter through the roof, a welcome change to the oppressive gloom the place held like a thick cloak.

Wanderer's eyes then settled on the altar in the center of the room. Set in the middle of the altar's surface was a gold crown. As he got closer, he could see it was made of two intertwining snakes in a loop with the heads of the snakes facing outward, each of them having an amethyst gemstone set in their mouths.

Remembering the many lessons of the 'Daring Do' books he had read in his life, he suspected a trap and called for his friends to be ready. He approached cautiously, looking for any sign of traps surrounding the crown. Finding none, he braced himself and quickly swiped the crown from it's resting place. He hopped away quickly; expecting to be crushed, shot at, or or otherwise killed in any number of ways.

To his relief, nothing happened. He let out an explosive sigh and looked to his prize. The crown strangely reminded him of the stallion depicted on the murals.

"That was … easy," Tormod remarked.

"Too easy," Wanderer agreed.

Just then a low rumbling was heard and the ground shook..

"You just had to say it," Tourmaline remarked dryly from the air.

Thankfully the ruin did not collapse in on itself, but a small section of wall depressed in and slid out of the way, revealing a hidden passage. When nothing came out to devour them, they relaxed and approached the passage.

"What do you think is in there?" Tourmaline asked as she landed next to Wanderer.

"Only one way to find out," he said with a wide grin. Placing the crown into his saddlebag, he retrieved his lantern and made his way down the passage, followed closely by his friends.

The passage was narrow, allowing only one to pass at a time. If the atmosphere of the temple's main room could be called gloomy, the passage would be best described as dead. Nothing moved; no vermin, light, or even the air. A feeling of oppression fell upon them as they moved deeper into the passage. Tormod and Tourmaline hunkered down as they walked followed Wanderer as he put on a bold face for them and moved ahead confidently, though even his step faltered some.

The passage finally ended and widened out into a small room. In center levitated a scepter made of gold and standing five feet tall. The scepter's head was adorned with the face of a manticore, eternally roaring in silence. A large hoof sized amethyst gemstone was set in its mouth. Surrounding the scepter was a magical bubble that extended from in a short distance. Looking upon the scepter, the three ponies could not help but wince; looking on it made them feel dread.

"What do you think?" Wanderer asked his two companions.

Tourmaline was at a loss of words, but Tormod spoke up. "We should try to get it out of here. If we can get it out in the light, we can study it in better detail."

As he approached the scepter, he studied the magical bubble. He cast a small spell in an attempt to dispel it. When nothing happened he shrugged helplessly and lifted a hoof to touch it. Upon doing so, an unseen force threw him across the room, and he crashed heavily against the wall.

His two friends cried out in alarm and ran to check on him. Despite being sore he was alright.

"A force bubble. I don't think I'll be able to dispel it," he said as he accepted Wanderer's hoof to help him up.

"Do you know another way?" Wanderer asked.

Tormod shook his head, but Tourmaline spoke. "Perhaps we should leave it. Come back for it when we are better rested."

Wanderer looked to the scepter that still hovered in the air.

"Let me try, if it doesn't work, then we'll leave and come back better prepared."

"Do you want to make an indent in the wall too?" she asked him archly.

He grinned at her. "I bounce better."

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to pry you out of the wall."

He laughed and approached the bubble. He slowly lifted a hoof to touch it; fully expecting to be tossed aside. To his surprise, the bubble flared then vanished at his touch.

Both of his companions could only look on in shock.

"Wha- how?" Tormod sputtered.

"Nothing to it!" he shouted back triumphantly.

He then noticed the scepter gently float down to him, waiting for him to take it in hoof.

Smiling his confident smile to his friends, he took hold of the scepter.

They noticed too late the crown in his saddlebag was glowing.

The moment he took hold of the scepter, a dark miasma seeped forth. It began to swirl and enveloped his body.

"Wanderer! Let it go!" Tourmaline cried out in fear for her dear friend.

"I… I can't!" he yelled back, his eyes widened fear. He was elevated above the ground as the miasma swirled faster and began to glow.

His eyes were soon nothing but glowing orbs of light and he screamed to his friends in total panic.

"Run! Get away!" he yelled frantically before the fog completely covered him.

"Wanderer!" His friends both cried out, his warning unheeded.

After a short time there was a bright flash that left both ponies covering their eyes. When the glare had faded, they could see it was not Wanderer that stood there, but a vastly different pony. He was a stallion, two hands taller than Wanderer. His coat was dark velvet, his mane a lighter purple with a single gold streak down the middle. Wanderer's spyglass cutie mark was replaced by a gauntlet held upright in a crushing pose. His eyes, once hazel, were now an amber color and full of malevolence. Resting atop his head was the crown Wanderer had taken from the altar. A goldplated chestplate adorned his muscled chest with a large amethyst set in its center.

The stallion looked around the room slowly and then paused to look to the scepter in his left hoof.

"Wa … Wanderer?" Tourmaline asked in a quiet voice. Tormod was left speechless.

The stallion slowly looked from his scepter to the two stunned ponies. They cringed under the stare of those awful eyes.

"You should have listened to your friend," he said in a sinister voice.

In the blink of an eye he shot out his right fore hoof and a beam of energy raced towards Tourmaline.

"Look out!" Tormod screamed before jumping in front of the beam. When the beam struck him, his body instantly turned to stone, and he fell heavily to the ground.

With a fearful scream, Tourmaline tore back down the narrow passage. Her tears flowed freely down her face in her panic. The stallion did not pursue, nor attack the fleeing mare. He only looked to his scepter and began to chuckle, slowly at first, but then loudly, to almost ear-splitting. His laughter was the only thing that followed Tourmaline as she took wing and fled to the skies.

In Canterlot, Celestia sat comfortably before her throne. A cup of warm tea floated nearby, as did the parchment she was reading. She quietly considered her tasks for the day: an envoy from the Crystal Empire was expected this day carrying news from Princess Cadance, as well as new trade agreements from the their merchants, she also expected a report from her favored student.

No, not student anymore, she corrected herself, but adopted niece. Twilight Sparkle's coronation was only a week past. It was a happy day for her and so many others. Twilight becoming a princess was a surprise to many, most of all Twilight, but not so to Celestia. She knew the mare's potential the day they first met, the day the younger one earned her cutie mark and her place as Celestia's student. Her subjects realizing their potential was one of the many joys Princess Celestia savored.

With a thought, the cup of tea hovered towards her to sip. That was when the sound of the laughter reached her ears, carried on ghostly winds she and few others could hear.

Caught completely off guard, she spit the hot tea over the parchment and gasped in shock and fear. The guards posted at the foot of her throne turned suddenly, surprised and worried at her actions.

"Princess, are you alright?" the earth pony guard asked in concern.

She did not immediately respond; the laughter was ringing in her ears.

"_No, not him. Please, not him." _she pleaded inside her mind.

"My Lady?" the guard repeated obviously not for the first or second time.

She gave him a reassuring look, one that she did not truly feel, as the laughter faded. "It is alright sir. A spell that will fade."

He gave his fellow guard a dubious look, but did not question her.

"Yes, my Lady," one of them said before they turned back to their posts.

Princess Celestia thought to herself a moment more; she could not be certain of anything but that laugh was hauntingly familiar. However, without solid evidence, there was nothing that could be done until the danger made itself known.

She looked up as her sister ran into the room, her expression no less worried than her own.

"Sister!" Luna cried in alarm. No doubt she too heard the laugh.

"Be calm my sister. We must learn more before we act," she assured her.

At her words, the two guards shared a worried look.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A few months after her coronation, Princess Twilight Sparkle sat quietly in her library at Ponyville engrossed in a book she was reading. Her day started just like any other, she had stayed up late studying and woke early to study more. Despite becoming a princess of Equestria, little had truly changed in her life. Her new wings and other ponies genuflecting to her often were about all that was new. Both were difficult in getting used to, as the studious alicorn was not comfortable with either. They brought attention to her that she was not truly fond of. The wings themselves were a hindrance when attempting to sleep as they kept opening up when she finally would get comfortable enough to doze off. How Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy managed to sleep with wings was beyond her.

It was early morning and she was almost finished with her book when she heard footsteps from the stairwell. She glanced up from her book to see Spike make his way groggily down the stairs. The young dragon was a heavy sleeper, even when he got more than enough sleep; he still never woke up well. Twilight herself could go with minimal amounts of sleep and awake feeling refreshed. Something the young dragon grumbled about frequently.

"Good morning Spike." She said cheerfully.

He muttered something, still rubbing at his eyes. "How long have you been up Twilight?" He asked, glancing at the stack of books next to her.

She waved a hoof dismissively. "An hour or two." She stated, having no real idea how long she had been up. "Autumn Leaves received a new shipment of books yesterday at her shop, and I found a few I hadn't read yet." She was referring to a unicorn mare who had opened up a book store in Ponyville a month ago.

Spike grunted and made his way to the kitchen to begin cooking breakfast for the two of them. The smell of cooking hot cakes and barley toast brought a grumble to Twilight's stomach. It had been a while since she had last eaten. She had just finished the last chapter of the book she was reading when Spike brought her a plate of food.

"Thank you Spike, you really are the number one assistant." She said rubbing at his head spines affectionately.

He blushed faintly at her compliment. "Have you already made out your checklist for the day?"

She nodded easily. "Done and done already. I'll get started after breakfast. Fluttershy wanted my help with a task."

"Don't you have more flying lessons with Rainbow Dash?"

Sighing, she said "Yeah, even after months of practicing, she still feels I could do better."

"That's Rainbow Dash for you. She probably won't be happy until you fly as well as she does."

"She has years of flying experience on me, and I doubt I could ever fly as well as she does." Twilight protested.

"Tell her that."

"I did."

"Did she listen?"

"No…"

"That sounds like her then." He said blandly.

They both shared a laugh and not long afterwards the two were moving on to their tasks. It did not take them long to make it to Fluttershy's cottage. They could hear the sounds of the numerous animals that dwelled within and around the pegasus's home. They could also hear the pegasus singing softly to herself. Twilight knocked on the door.

"Come on in." They heard Fluttershy call.

Opening the door, they could see the pale yellow pegasus busy with minor cleaning duties aided by a few of her animal friends.

"Twilight, Spike, I'm glad you both came." She said in her typical quiet voice.

"It's no problem Fluttershy. We're glad to help." Twilight said, as she Spike hopped off her back. "What did you need help with?"

"Well, with you being so good at cataloguing and keeping things organized I thought you would be able to help me keep track of the supplies I've collected." She said, kicking a fore hoof to the floor shyly. Even despite knowing each other for years the yellow pegasus was still shy and hesitant in asking for anything.

Twilight smiled at her friend. "Of course Fluttershy, we'd be happy to help."

Fluttershy smiled warmly. "Oh thank you."

Spike already had clipboard and quill in hand before Twilight could say anything.

It did not take long for the task to be finished. Despite Fluttershy's call for help, she was already adept in keeping her storage shed tidy, like her home. Twilight asked her why she needed help when she had pretty much done everything that needed done.

Fluttershy again kicked the ground idly. "Umm…Well…I knew that Rainbow Dash was going to make you practice again. I just wanted you to have a break. I know how Rainbow Dash can get when she wants to push someone to do something." She looked to Twilight with a faintly worried look. "I hope you're not mad."

Twilight smiled to her friend. "Thank you Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash has had me train awfully hard lately. Though we both know she'll find me eventually and likely make me work extra hard."

"I know, I just wanted…" She started but didn't finish.

"I know Fluttershy, maybe if we're lucky she won't-" Twilight began.

"There you are! Slacker!" A shout was heard from above them.

A rainbow blur landed beside them, appearing outraged. "I've been looking everywhere for you Twilight." Rainbow Dash said as she brushed her hair out of her eyes. "I've something to show you."

"Another lesson?" Twilight asked with a sigh.

"You can say that." She said, and then smiled wide in anticipation. "It will be awesome!"

"Awesome?" Twilight asked dubiously. "Do you consider my crashing into things as awesome now?"

"No, no,… well sometimes. You've had some pretty crazy crashes before, but no, that's not it. Come on you three, you've got to see this."

"M.m. me too?" Fluttershy asked, surprised and a little nervous.

"Yes, you too Fluttershy. Come on you two, we're wasting time." The cyan pegasus said pushing them along the path back to Ponyville.

Well, perhaps not directly to Ponyville, but instead the cyan pegasus ushered them to the local swimming hole. It was a popular place for the residents of Ponyville to cool off from the summer's heat. As they approached the lake, Twilight could see that a recent addition was being built. She could see from her view point that it was a large slide and that there was a fast moving pink blur near its base.

"What is Pinkie Pie up to?" Twilight asked Rainbow Dash. Watching the pink mare zip around the newly built slide, a feeling of trepidation came over her. When Pinkie was excited, the end result was never certain.

Rainbow Dash smirked. "It's not just Pinkie Pie. She and I got an idea after the Cutie Mark Crusader's last attempt at getting their cutie marks."

"What were they…?"

"You don't want to know." Rainbow Dash said dryly. "It involved a water pump, I'll just say that."

"A water pump?" Twilight asked curiously.

Rainbow Dash would not be baited. "Come on you three, they should have it done by now." As she pushed them along.

When they got to the watering hole, they could see that the slide was a simple straight down slide that turned upward sharply at its end. The slide was wide enough to accommodate a fully grown pony. Standing about two stories tall and with an impressive incline, Twilight could imagine Rainbow Dash's excitement. She noticed that her friends Applejack and Rarity were there as well, the former hammering in the last of the nails to the slide and the other sun bathing on a nearby bench.

"Afternoon, Twilight, Fluttershy, Spike, 'bout time ya got here. What kept ya RD?" Applejack said as they approached.

"These slackers were trying to hide out. I found them at Fluttershy's place."

"We were hiding?" Twilight asked Fluttershy quietly, with a faint smile.

The yellow pegasus smiled quietly in turn.

"Twilight! Have you seen what we've built?" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, appearing next to Twilight, lifting her up in her excitement. "It's going to be a giant water slide!"

"I can see." Twilight grunted as she was unceremoniously dropped to the ground.

"Oh, when it's done, we'll have a big pool party. It's gonna be fun!" The pink mare said excitedly.

"When it's done? It's done now." Applejack said, driving in the last nail to the top platform. "Rainbow, bring up that hose, won't ya?"

"You got it." The cyan pegasus flew over and brought up the requested item.

As Applejack set the hose in its designated place, she called down to Twilight. "Can ya put that other hose in the lake Twi?"

"Of course." She said, then used her magic to levitate the other hose over the lake before dropping it.

Applejack nodded in approval. "Alright Pinkie, let'er rip."

"Okely, dokely!" She hollered before turning on the large water pump.

Instantly the machine roared to life, and began draining water from the lake and to the top of the slide. The machine was putting out enough water to provide a good, steady stream. It was perfect for the water slide.

"Yee-haw! It works." Applejack reared up in triumph.

"Alright!" Rainbow Dash cheered, giving Applejack a high hoof.

Pinkie Pie's show of excitement was a blast of confetti from her trusty party cannon.

The only one to show no real excitement was Rarity; who only lowered her sunglasses enough to look at all of the commotion. She then snorted dismissively, and pushed her glasses back to their place and to her sun bath.

Twilight looked at the water slide with a smile, amazed her friends put together such a thing. "Where did Applebloom and her friends find the pump?" Twilight just could not resist asking; directing the question to Applejack.

"Who knows where they get half the things they get. It's one'a them things where ya is better off not askin." The orange mare shrugged.

"Fair enough." Twilight shrugged, finally letting the topic go.

"So who's going first?" Applejack asked them.

"I will!" Pinkie shouted before anyone could answer, already in mid-leap over the start of the slide. With a high pitched 'Whee!" she slid down the slide at a good rate of speed. She then flew over the lake and splashed down with an impressive cannon ball. The resulting wave soaked all standing near the lake, including an unaware Rarity.

The white unicorn sputtered as she shook off the water, a horrified expression on her face. "P,Pinkie Pie! My…my hair!" She declared in a tragic tone.

"Oh, sorry Rarity." The pink mare said as she floated in the middle of the lake, a not so sorry expression on her face. "You should come swimming with us; it's a whole lot of fun."

Rarity scoffed. "Fun? Darling, I fail to see how swimming in a dirty old lake could even possibly be considered fun. But you girls go ahead and have your fun; I'll enjoy my time in the sun." With that, she used her magic to dry her hair; which promptly settled back to its normal state. She then went back to her sun bathing.

The other mares had a small laugh and had a fun time with the new slide. Even Fluttershy gave the slide a try, after much coaxing from her friends. It soon became a contest between Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie on who could make a larger splash. Though none got close to Pinkie's first cannonball, they didn't lack for trying. After Applejack's last attempt, an impressive splash that reached well into the air, Rainbow Dash zipped up to the top of the slide and stretched her wings, acting for the entire world as if she was preparing for a big race. With a confident smile she leapt into the air, going up a short distance, then turning a sharp 180 and descending swiftly. Her wings tucked to her side, she gained speed as she reached the end of the slide.

As she sailed out over the lake, she did a few midair flips and splashed down with a loud. "Yeeeaaah!"

The splash nearly out did Pinkie's, the resulting wave soaked everyone along the shore; save Rarity who saw it coming and used her magic to shield herself from the water, not a hair out of place.

"Yeah! That's how it's done!" The cyan pegasus cheered from the water's surface. Her friends all cheered as well, that was when Rainbow looked Twilight's way.

"Alright Twilight, it's your turn. I want you to do the same thing I just did."

Twilight blinked, it took her a moment to respond. "You want me to dive from the air..?" She asked incredulously.

"That's right. It'll be your flight lesson today. There's nothing to it, just tuck your wings in as you dive and you'll get up a good speed"

Twilight did not appear convinced.

"You'll be fine." Rainbow said to that look.

With a sigh, Twilight took off into the air and hovered at a point above the slide.

"Just tuck them in?" She called down.

"Just do it Twilight!" Rainbow yelled back up at her, impatience thick in her tone.

"You can do it sugarcube!" Applejack called up encouragingly.

"Yay! Twilight! Whoo!" Pinkie Pie added.

Fluttershy looked on, eager to see how Twilight did. Rarity lowered her sunglasses enough to view the spectacle. Spike, of course, looked on with a hint of worry.

With a calming breath, Twilight descended down as Rainbow had earlier. Tucking in her wings, she descended with a good rate of speed. She hit the slide and sailed out over the lake…and beyond. Rainbow noticed it a second too late to warn her, her wings were not tucked in enough and the resulting wind current carried her further than anticipated.

"Twilight! Look out!" Spike called, mirroring other shouts from her friends.

With a panicked scream, Twilight tried buffing her wings in an attempt to stop herself, but it was not enough to keep her from crashing into a tree near where Rarity sat.

Her friends, sans Rarity, rushed over to call up into the tree she crashed into.

"Twi, you alright?" Applejack asked.

"Ugh…never better." Came the sarcastic response from the tree.

The typical Twilight response set them all at ease.

"Ya had us worried there sugarcube."

"I had myself worried. Whoa!" Came her surprised yelp, followed by the resounding thuds as she bounced off each branch the whole way to the ground.

She sat dazed a moment, and then shook her head to clear the dizziness.

"What did I do wrong?" She asked.

"You had your wings out for too long. When you got to the slide, you should have had them by your side." Fluttershy said softly.

"You couldn't have told me that before I dived head long into a tree?" Twilight said exasperated, but then apologized as she saw Fluttershy wince from the words.

"Really darling, you shouldn't let Rainbow Dash talk you into doing every crazy stunt she does. Not until you're at least a bit more experienced in flying." Rarity said, and then added as if an afterthought. "No offense Rainbow Dash."

"Oh, none taken." Rainbow Dash said, far too easily.

There was something in her tone that had Rarity turn to look at the pegasus. She then saw a grinning Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, who quickly grabbed her and lifted her up from her bench.

"Girls! No! What are you doing? Put me down this instant!" Rarity yelled, struggling to escape.

"Oh, we're not doing anything." Pinkie Pie chirped as they carried her towards the lake shore, their intent obvious.

"No! Girls! No, not the lake! "My-" Her remaining protests were lost in a scream as she was unceremoniously tossed into the lake.

She came up sputtering, her make up running and her hair soaking wet. No easy magic was going to fix it this time. She was quickly joined by a diving Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, soaking her once again.

She gave them one of her death glares and uttered. "It. Is. ON!" She then promptly dunked Rainbow under the water.

The girls all shared a laugh and enjoyed the rest of the day at the lake, having fun and enjoying each other's company. It was one of those days they would all look back on and remember fondly. Unfortunately, it would also be one of the last they would have for a long while.

That same day, Princess Celestia quietly sat out on the balcony overlooking the city of Canterlot. The last she heard from her sister was a few weeks ago, saying that Luna's expedition had found the temple and more; and to expect her home soon. Luna was expected back this day, and Celestia would finally learn if her fears were well founded. Their form of communication was not consistent as it was with Twilight and Spike. Their magical sendings were much more difficult to send and maintain. Thus the sisters had agreed to share the final news in person.

Her thoughts drifted once again. Equestria had only just begun to settle into a state where there was little fear of an outside threat. Nightmare Moon was vanquished, Discord reformed, the changelings imprisoned, and Sombra defeated. It had seemed that peace and stability had finally settled over her kingdom. With a newly crowned princess, her ponies were happy. She dreaded that their happiness would so soon be threatened once again.

She was jarred out of her thoughts by the sound of a horn being blow by the gates of the city, signaling the return of Luna and her expedition. Celestia quietly made her way back to the throne room, there to await Luna.

She did not have to wait long. Luna made her way directly to the throne room. When she arrived Celestia saw she was followed by a pair of guard ponies pulling a canvas covered wagon and also accompanied by a worn looking blue-green pegasus with a three coin cutie mark. Celestia looked over the pegasus with a look of concern before looking to the wagon curiously.

"Welcome home sister, I hope you and those of your expedition are well?" She said to Luna.

"We are indeed sister." Luna replied. "But I fear the news I bring is most dire."

Celestia felt her heart sink. "It is true then?"

Luna nodded gravely. "We found Tourmaline there, at the fringe of the jungle. In ill health and delirium, but we were able to determine she knew where the temple lay hidden. We nursed her back to health and she agreed to show us where it lay." Luna turned to Tourmaline. "Come forward young one; please tell my sister what you have told me."

Hesitantly the blue-green pegasus stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the Princess.

"Princess." She said softly.

Celestia smiled gently. "It is alright my little pony, it is safe here. Your name is Tourmaline yes? It is a beautiful name."

"Y, yes princess." The pegasus replied, feeling more relaxed at the princess's words.

"Can you tell me what you witnessed at the temple in the jungle?"

Tourmaline looked crestfallen and looked to the canvas covered wagon. "I truly wish we had never found it."

She then told Celestia al what occurred that day at the temple. She told of Wanderer, her brother Tormod, the crown, and the scepter; and the awful stallion that Wanderer had become.

"Can you describe what this stallion looked like?" Celestia asked when Tourmaline came to that point in her telling.

Tourmaline closed her eyes a moment. "His coat was a dark purple, almost black, his mane was a lighter shade of purple with a gold streak through it. He had gold armor on his chest, as well as the crown and scepter. But it was his eyes, I cannot stop seeing them. Yellow eyes and how they looked at me. We three had battled monsters before, some of them very dangerous, and I never flinched against them. But his eyes, looking at them and I couldn't move, and that was when Tormod." She choked back her words, looking to the wagon again with a look of shame, unable to continue speaking.

Celestia looked back to the wagon and with a soft glow from her horn, the canvas lifted; uncovering a still petrified Tormod. Celestia looked on with wide eyes then looked to Luna.

"I have been unable to undo what was done to him. He dreams however and I have visited him there, and he has relayed much the same to me." She said to her sister.

Celestia nodded slowly and approached the petrified unicorn. Her horn grew much brighter and the same colored aura surrounded the statue. Despite her effort, she too was not able to undo the petrification. She did recognize the magical aura that surrounded it still, seen only by her and her sister, it confirmed without a doubt who was behind it. It was a magical aura that she would not forget.

She turned and looked to the worried Tourmaline. "You are tired young one, you and your brother will remain here as my guests in the castle. I promise you that I will do all that I can to cure your brother."

Tourmaline bowed graciously to her. "Thank you Princess, I truly thank you for your help."

"You are most welcome." Celestia then looked to a guard who stood by stoically. "Please show her to the guest rooms."

After Tourmaline had left Celestia turned back to her throne in quiet contemplation; Luna stood quietly next to her, allowing her sister time to mull over the news.

"I should have foreseen this." Celestia said quietly.

"One cannot predict the future sister. You cannot be blamed for his return."

"I know this, but I dread what he is capable of now. He has had centuries to focus his power despite his imprisonment. "

"He has been released for a few months now, and we have neither seen nor heard anything of him. Perhaps he is weakened instead and is unwilling to face us as of yet." Luna suggested.

"Perhaps." Celestia allowed. "However, it is not in his nature to act rashly. When he does reappear, it will be thoroughly planned out and he will come for us. We cannot let him harm our subjects in his goal for domination."

"Until he acts, we can do little but prepare for that day."

Celestia nodded in agreement. "We will have to warn princess Cadance and princess Twilight, and advise her friends to have the elements of harmony at the ready. We will also have to inform Discord, he might be able to provide more information that we can use."

Luna winced at the thought, even if Discord offered information; she hoped it would make at least a sliver of sense.

In another part of Equestria, south of the Applelosian Mountains and past the forest of Leota, sat the remains of a recently destroyed castle. The remains of a small town surrounding it had long since been abandoned. Inside the castle, it was as still as night. It was not until one came to its lower confines that one would hear a sing song voice happily repeating the same tune over and over again. It was broken long enough to recite a poem before breaking out in song again. A routine that was maddening to any one subject to it with no means of escape.

Maddening was putting it lightly, the Queen of the Changeling thought to herself. For almost a year now she and her hive of changelings had been imprisoned in this infernal dungeon. Ever since that fateful night of the comet and the battle with Twilight and her friends, the queen had to hear that insufferable song and rhyme repeated. All in the voice of the pink earth pony, it drove them all to the ends of sanity.

She and her minions tried in vain to not only dig themselves out, but also tried to solve the riddle of the enchanted costume that blocked the only exit from their prison. Queen Chrysalis even attempted to use her magic to destroy it, but whatever Twilight had done to the costume, it was impervious to her power. How she wished she could go even a short time without hearing that song again!

"My Queen." Said one of her minions, her lieutenant to be exact, distinguished only by the armor he wore that her others did not.

"What?!" she snapped, her patience long since eroded away.

He flinched at her tone but gave his report anyway. "We have tried digging at a different section of the antechambers but they too resist our efforts."

She scoffed at this. "You tell me nothing I don't already know. Do not come back to me unless you have found something that will get us out of here."

He bowed and backed away. "Yes, my queen."

After he left, she looked around in despair, there was no way out she knew. Not until Twilight herself came back to release them, and what were the chances of that ever happening? She plopped down on her dais, her hooves over her head, trying to drown out the rambling of the possessed costume.

Then it happened, the costume seemed to have stopped its singing for a split second, almost like a hesitation. The queen perked up, as did her nearby minions, and looked to the large costume that barred the door. When it started up again she had thought it was only a cruel joke played by her mind. At least she thought until the costume exploded out in a shower of shredded cloth and material.

The sound of its destruction had her and her changelings on their hooves in shock. Finally that insufferable singing had ceased, but in its place stood a tall stallion earth pony. His coat was dark velvet, his mane a lighter shade of his coat and a gold streak going through it. Adorning his head was the snake entwined crown, and he held the gold manticore scepter in his left hoof.

The stallion's amber colored eyes scanned the room of the collected changelings before settling on their queen. A small sneer crossed the face of this stallion.

"The queen of the changelings, I presume?" He said in voice that was dark yet had that edge of charisma that could likely sway any pony that heard him speak.

Chrysalis scowled softly, looking at this one; perhaps they would have been better off with the annoying costume.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Her changelings bristled at the sight of this pony who so boldly stepped into their prison alone. Only the sharp command from their queen kept them from attacking him in their desperation to escape. The queen looked again at this pony, he stood tall, nearly the same height as she. His amber colored eyes had a haunting arrogance behind them and his smirk spoke of extreme confidence in himself.

Remembering who she was, she finally spoke to his question. "Just who are you to demand anything of me?"

His smirk widened only slightly. "Who I am is not important at this moment, but what I have to offer you and your…" He paused a moment to glance at the collected changelings…. "brood."

She scowled at his choice of word. "You don't have anything I want, and now that the annoying costume is gone, we can finally leave!"

Before Chrysalis or her changelings could move, the stallion's eyes flashed an evil color and a solid wall of amethyst appeared at the doorway. The one changeling to touch it was thrown across the room to land heavily against the opposite wall.

"You will find that impossible to pass through." His tone changing none. "If you so wish it, I can restore the automation, and see to it that it is truly indestructible."

The threat alone stopped them all dead in their tracks.

"Now that the foolishness is done, are you willing to hear my offer?"

The Queen narrowed her eyes at the stallion. "What do you want?"

"A simple arrangement, I require you and your changelings for a foray along Equestria's borders, and in return; I offer you and yours a small section of it for yourselves once I make Equestria my own."

She scoffed. "You intend to challenge Celestia for her throne? You are a fool then. You have no idea the power she has at her disposal."

"To which you will inform me of. I offer you and your changelings freedom from your imprisonment and a small kingdom of your own. All you need to give in return is to swear fealty to me and follow my orders to the letter. I will not make this offer again."

She furrowed her brow at the finality in his tone, and mulled over his offer. Freedom from her tormenting imprisonment and a kingdom of her own, and all she need do was swear loyalty to this stallion? A fool who still favors spoken oath as some sort of binding agreement, it was almost laughable. Still, if this stallion succeeded her and her kin would be free and with a kingdom of their own; and if not, they would still be free.

"Fine you have a deal." She said, the beginnings of a plan forming in her mind.

"Good." He said and something in his expression made her suddenly feel ill at ease. "But first, I require your oath and some information."

"You will have it, but I want to know who you are first." She said.

His grin widened. "Has history forgotten me?" He chuckled snidely. "No matter, the world will soon know my name once more. And let it tremble at my coming."

It was two days after their day at the watering hole that Twilight and her friends stepped off the train at the Canterlot train station. Having lived there for years before moving to Ponyville, Twilight knew the fastest way to the castle. The six friends made their way through the city at a leisurely pace.

"What do you think the princess wants to tell us so badly?" Rainbow Dash asked as she hovered above the others.

"I don't know Rainbow Dash; all her letter said was for the six of us to come see her as soon as we could. I'm sure whatever she has to say will be important." Twilight said as they wound their way through the streets of the unicorn city. The upper class citizens of the city, who usually just snubbed the ponies from Ponyville, genuflected or whispered amongst themselves as their newest princess passed by.

"I still don't know how you do it Twilight." Fluttershy said quietly.

"What is that?" Twilight asked her.

"All the attention you get." She nodded towards a small group of ponies who bowed as they saw Twilight. "I don't think I could ever get used to something like that. I'm not sure I'd want to."

"There are times." Twilight said dryly. "I know that being a princess would garner respect out of other ponies, but there are times I wish they would treat me like everypony else again."

"Oh darling, you are looking at it the wrong way. You shouldn't look at the looks and bowing as cause for embarrassment. Rather look at them as signs of respect of your station. You are royalty now dear, and awe and respect are all part of it." Rarity sighed dramatically. "Ahh, what I wouldn't give to have the adoration and admiration of the ponies as they give to royalty."

"I would give it to you if I could." Twilight said dryly.

"You mean that?" Rarity asked loudly, hopefully.

"No." Twilight said deadpan,

Rarity's shocked expression could not hold up to Twilight's disarming smile, and the girls all shared a laugh. All of them except for Applejack, whose expression, was one of disapproval.

"Well, ah think it's a bunch of bologna." She said firmly. "All them ponies used to not even give ya the time'a day, but now that ya is a princess, they're falling all over themselves to give ya respect. They ain't doing it because of who ya are, but what ya are. It's as dishonest as ya can get."

Twilight considered that and found that she could not argue the point. She also considered that she had earned her title of Princess, as Princess Celestia had told her that fateful day of her transformation. She also had many other questions but Celestia promised that all would be clear in time. Perhaps all of her effort had led to this newfound attention. Applejack knew the value of hard earned rewards better than most other ponies, perhaps she hadn't considered that. She was about to say as such before Pinkie Pie chimed in.

"If you want to know what I think, I think you shouldn't let it bother you too much." She said as she hopped along. "Yeah sure, other ponies are acting different around you, but does it hurt to have them bow or whatever? If anything they're the ones getting their knees all dust doing it, and I don't think dusty knees are anything to worry over, so why worry? If it makes them happy, let them do it I say."

"It's just plain dishonest though Pinkie." Applejack said stubbornly.

"Yeah." She agreed easily. "But is it hurting anyone?"

"No…" The orange earth mare said grudgingly.

"Then let them worry over dirty knees." She smiled.

This time all the girls shared a laugh and soon made their way to the castle.

The girls soon found themselves in Celestia's throne room. The princess of the sun smiled warmly as Twilight and her friends arrived. Her sister, Princess Luna, stood next to her; a warm but restrained smile on her face.

"Princess Twilight, everypony, I am so pleased to see you all." Princess Celestia said as they approached. She shared a quick embrace with her former student.

"We came after we got your letter Princess, is there some emergency we need to know about?" Twilight asked.

"When is there not some emergency?" Rainbow Dash muttered dryly.

Twilight glared at her friend, but the princess only smiled. "It does seem that I call you all often with warnings of danger, and I promise that I do not do so purposefully. I called you all here to make you aware of a possible threat; although it is not one we believe that presents so any time soon."

"So what is the trouble then, Princess?" Applejack asked respectfully.

The princess of the sun did not immediately respond.

"A brief explanation first. As you all are aware, our world exists by a balance of the forces that make up our world; such as good and evil, love and hatred, and order and chaos. As much as we might wish it otherwise, we need the negative aspects to balance out our world to maintain harmony."

"Wait, how could too much good, love and order possibly be a bad thing?" Rarity asked, somewhat taken aback by the thought.

Luna spoke up. "Have you ever heard of the old saying? 'Too much of anything is a bad thing'? If we were to have too much of any emotion, harmony would be out of balance and the opposing emotion would swell to balance out the imbalance."

"So too many parties are a bad thing? Cake too?! What of chocolate candy?!" Pinkie said with growing pitch to her voice.

Celestia smiled gently. "Does eating too much cake or chocolate not cause you to have an upset stomach?"

"It takes –a lot- of cake and candy to do that to Pinkie Pie." Rainbow Dash said.

"Indeedy!" The pink mare agreed.

Luna continued. "Regardless, it is because of this that we need to inform you of the possible shift in the balance."

"Well what could'a thrown the balance out'a whack?" Applejack asked.

"An accidental discovery." Celestia said. "A small group of adventurer ponies discovered a long lost ruin far to the south of Equestria. One I had hoped would not ever be found. Unknowingly, they released a long sealed spirit."

"Oh dearest Celestia, would you please get to the point? Much more of this and I'm likely to fall over from boredom." Came a voice that originated from above them. It was a male's voice that all of them knew all too well.

"Discord!" Fluttershy said happily, with the others all saying the same, but with much less enthusiasm.

"So good to see you Fluttershy, and you as well you other grumbling ponies." The spirit of chaos said as he appeared as part of a nearby stained glass window; reclining against an image of Celestia. "Now if good Celestia would kindly move this along, we'd all not be moved to bored tears." He stretched and a glass of tea appeared in one hand which he took a noisy sip from.

The princess sighed at the antics of the spirit of chaos. "Very well then, the spirit they released was the spirit of order. He is Discord's polar opposite."

"And an even more dreadful bore than Celestia." Discord said airily.

"His name is Tyranny, and he represents the aspect of complete order and control." Celestia's horn glowed a moment and an image of Tyranny appeared before them, the same pony that Wanderer had become.

All the girls flinched at the image, his expression and gaze alone was intimidating.

"He is ugly enough to frighten isn't he? Though I guess not everypony can be as good as looking as me." The draconiques gestured to his patchwork face.

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie giggled, though the others all groaned in pain.

"Is there anything useful you could tell us about this guy?" Rainbow Dash asked the stain glass window where Discord still idly sipped on his cup of tea.

"I see patience is still not your strong point Rainbow Dash." Discord said dryly. With a snap of his fingers, the draconiques appeared in the throne room, dressed in formal attire, monocle, top hat, and cane. (The head of the cane was of Discord's face but with its tongue sticking out at someone.) "To put it bluntly, Tyranny likes things neat and orderly. Structured with little deviation from what he considers right and proper." He said speaking in a fancy accent. With a disgusted snort, the outfit and all disappeared. With another snap of his hand, a cone of chocolate filed cotton candy appeared in his hand which he took a generous bite of. "Far too controlling for me. I prefer things nice and random with some unpredictability thrown into the mix."

"Don't we know." Came many sarcastic remarks all around.

"Surely you wound me." He said, placing his free hand over his heart dramatically. "But there is one thing you can expect from Tyranny, predictability. He cannot help but follow set patterns and plans. It is a weakness of the excessively orderly." Giving Twilight a sly glance. Unbeknownst to the spirit of chaos, Pinkie Pie had snuck up and helped herself to his conjured snack.

Twilight glared at him then turned to back to Celestia. "If he has been released, how come we have not seen any trouble from him? If he is anything like this guy." Nodding towards Discord. "He should have caused some trouble by now."

"That, we do not know. It could be that his power has weakened from his imprisonment, but we truly do not know. That is why I wished to inform you of the development, so that you are aware should he strike." Celestia glanced out the nearby bay window for a moment. "Aside from the unfortunate happenings of the adventuring troop that released him, we have seen nothing of his presence. It is worrisome."

"What happened to the adventurer ponies, Princess?" Twilight asked.

Celestia closed her eyes a moment, in sadness. "Their leader was possessed by the spirit of order. The moment he laid hoof on his scepter, Tyranny took control of his body so that he could influence this world."

"You mean, like a Nightmare?" Twilight asked, casting an apologetic look towards Princess Luna.

Luna closed her eyes a moment, but did not appear truly bothered by the mention. "Not quite, at the time of his imprisonment, his power was so great that we could not seal it all away in stone. So we used the elements to divide his essence and sealed it separately. His physical form was destroyed in the process. Something we did not intentionally mean to do."

Celestia moved the conversation along. "When Luna went to investigate the temple, she found one of the adventurer ponies and with her help guided my sister to it. That is where they found the third of their troop turned to stone by Tyranny."

There was a collective gasp, though a snort from Discord. "With Discord's help, we have been able to undo what was done to him, but it will be a while before he can move about again. The return from stone is a taxing process on ponies."

"It is one to everypony, Celestia." Discord said dryly. "If I might add one more thing." He paused and looked to his nearly devoured treat; he pulled it away at the last second before Pinkie Pie could take another generous bite, causing the pink mare to crash heavily to the ground. "As much as I find Tyranny to be an insufferable bore, I will admit that he is clever. He won't do anything rash or stupid or completely random." With a snap of his fingers, he and his treat disappeared, then reappeared above them all relaxing in a hammock, sipping from a coconut drink and wearing attire as if at the beach.

"In the end Twilight, I just want you and your friends to be ready if and when he makes his appearance. Which I hope is not any time soon." Celestia said.

Just then the doors of the throne room flew open and in rushed one of the royal guards.

"You majesty, majesties." He stammered to Celestia and the other two princesses, kneeling before them. "There is news from our eastern border. One of our outposts was attacked."

"Attacked by whom?" The sun princess asked.

"Guess who?" Came Discord's snide comment from above.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A few days before Twilight and her friends were to visit Canterlot, Tyranny and Queen Chrysalis stood on a cliffside overlooking an outpost of the Equestrian Guard. The outpost was located along Equestria's eastern border and some distance from any town. It overlooked a popular trade route that extended out into Equestria's eastern neighbor. The small fortress itself was inhabited by close to a hundred guards and about a score of worker ponies, all of whom monitored the border for traveler safety or threats from the lands beyond. It was well into the dusk hour and soon Luna's moon would fill the sky; though it would not be visible tonight as it was very overcast. The lack of light was not a hindrance to the spirit of order or the queen of the changelings.

"Your minions have supplanted the guards as I have ordered?" Tyranny asked of the queen, not taking his gaze from the outpost below.

"They have, almost half of them; as well as a number of the workers." She said with a hint of arrogance, she then looked to the stallion as he stood a few paces in front of her. "How much longer are you going to make us wait at this game? My colony needs to feed."

"They will feed when I will it." He said, glancing to her; not bothering to look at her fully. "That time will come sooner than you think."

She bristled at his tone; she could not stand any other creature speaking to her arrogantly. Especially not a pony who was not as tall as she, but she reminded herself that she just needed to bide her time and tolerate him… for now.

"Fortunately for you, we will move on the fortress tonight." He continued.

Her ears perked up at that. "When?"

"The darkest hour." ( meaning midnight.) "Give the order to your minions, and make sure that they follow their orders exactly as I have instructed. Do so, and we will take the fortress with little difficulty."

Again she scowled at him as he turned to look back at the fortress. Was this how her minions felt when she spoke to them? No matter, she would not suffer this for too much longer.

"Lieutenant." She barked, and in a moment the armored changeling flew up to her and kneeled.

"Yes, my Queen?" He asked of her.

"Inform the others, we strike at midnight. See to it that they follow their orders." She instructed.

"As you say; my queen"

"Remember, I need them all unharmed, they are no use to me injured." Tyranny said to her firmly, and then moved away from both, heading back to their encampment.

"How much longer, my queen?" The changeling asked once he was out of earshot.

She grinned maliciously. "Tonight, after we take that fort. Then we will make him pay for his insolence." The changeling's grin soon matched her own.

It was nearing the midnight hour, and the commander of the garrison made his rounds to make sure his guards were awake at their posts. More than once he had to chastise a few of them for sleeping on the watch, most ended up with kitchen duty as a result. The commander was a unicorn with a tan pelt and brown mane, covered by his helm. He was not a hard commander, but he made sure things remained professional under his command. He was walking along the wall when he noticed two of his watchponies talking with each other.

"You two, enough chattering and keep your guard up. We don't need thugs slipping into Equestria because you two were talking about the weather." He said to them firmly.

"Yes sir, sorry sir." They both said in unison; both guards had tired expressions on their faces.

The commander let his hard visage slip a bit. "Don't worry boys, a week more and we get our leave. Then you can get all the sleep you want."

Both guards smiled at this. "Can't wait to get home and see our families' sir." One of them said.

"Don't we all son, don't we all."

"You got a family to go home to sir?" The other asked.

"Yes, a wife and daughter." He furrowed his brow. "Why do you ask soldier?"

"I thought you practically lived here sir, it's good to know the commander is just as pony as the rest of us." He said lightheartedly.

The commander laughed and pounded the soldier on the shoulder, who flinched under the heavy hoof.

"Finish your watch and get some sleep. We've only got a week more."

"Yes sir." They both said.

He was about to continue his rounds when he noticed a green flash of light from beyond the wall and from the dark woods that surrounded the fortress.

"What in the name of Celestia was that?" He asked, pushing between them, looking over the wall.

"What sir?" One guard asked.

"That glow there, there it is again." He said as the glow flashed briefly from the woods once more.

"Oh, that? It's nothing sir."

"What do you mean it is nothing? Rouse a patrol and go find out what it is."

"There is no need sir." The guard said with a sneer.

"What?! I should have you..." He did not finish as the guard before him flashed a quick green flame and was replaced by a coal black creature with blue green eyes and long fangs; as well as a pair of insectoid wings and a curved horn on its forehead. It looked at him maliciously.

"Changeling! Guard! Get the..." He turned quickly and found a second changeling in the place of the second guard, this one grinning much the same as the first.

The commander's instincts kicked in and he lashed out with both hind legs; catching the second changeling in the chest, sending it sprawling. The first tried to use its horn against him, but he ducked low and lifted the overbalanced changeling over his shoulder and onto the other changeling. He raced down the wall, heading for the barracks.

"To arms! We're under attack!" He called out. He then heard a loud buzzing sound, as if a giant wasp nest had been disturbed. He could see many glowing eyes above him and many green flashes as the changelings swarmed over the outpost. He heard the sounds of fighting from the barracks and ran to aid his soldiers, or at least tried as a sticky substance suddenly struck his back leg.

"What the...?" He looked back and could see a sickly green substance clinging to his leg and tail that kept him firmly in place. He used the magic of his horn to remove it, but then three more globs of the stuff struck him; pinning his back legs and front hooves to the ground. Before he could use his magic again, a final glob of the stuff struck him in the face. Covering his horn and one eye; he was caught and he knew it but continued to struggle.

The fighting had ceased, the entire pony garrison was captured and held by the changelings. All had gone according to plan, save for the garrison commander's outcry, which lead to the battle in the barracks. Fortunately all were relatively unharmed, just as Tyranny had ordered. He and the queen stood in the courtyard as they surveyed the outpost and the captured ponies gathered there.

"My minions did well." Chrysalis said smugly

"They did passible." He said bluntly.

She scowled again, but he took no notice as he walked towards a bound pony guard.

"Where is your commander?" He asked of him.

The guard flinched under his gaze but tried to keep a defiant visage; though he stole a quick glance to a similarly bound unicorn nearby.

Tyranny's gaze followed his. "I see." He then moved to the unicorn who still tried repeatedly to free himself, but with no success.

"You command this outpost?" Tyranny asked.

"I do, who are you? Who do you think you are?" The commander looked to the stallion with a hard glare.

"Silence!" Tyranny cut in, his tone harsh. "Who am I? I am Tyranny, the spirit of Order and your new ruler."

The unicorn scoffed. "We'll never follow you!" He said defiantly but then a band of black shadowy substance clamped his mouth shut.

"You will speak when spoken too, not before." Tyranny then noticed the unicorn's eyes widen, he was looking past Tyranny.

Tyranny did not bother to turn, he could only smirk smugly. _"How pathetic."_ He said to himself. "Did you honestly think that I was not aware of your plan?" He said out loud.

His spoken words had all of the changelings stopped in their tracks. They had surrounded him from all sides, their gaze locked on the stallion. "You creatures of flesh are so predictable", he continued.

The changeling queen stepped past her minions to stand a short distance behind him. "You are the fool to think you could command me and my hive to do your bidding. I was using you to get our freedom and so that we could feast on those here."

"I am afraid that is not going to happen." He told her matter of fact. "I have need of them, unlike you. Your usefulness is now at its end." He still did not even dignifying her by turning to face her.

She seethed with rage. "Changelings!" She yelled.

At once her entire hive charged at him from every angle. There was no way anypony could fight off that many foes at once.

Tyranny was not just anypony.

With a dismissive snort, he rapped the butt of his scepter to the ground and a whirlwind lashed out violently, knocking every changeling out of the air. They all crashed heavily against the dirt and walls around them. Her lieutenant tried to get to his feet, but Tyranny pointed his free hoof towards him and a shadowy clawed hand sprang forth and smashed him to the ground and held him there.

Queen Chrysalis could only look on in shock and horror. Her entire hive, defeated with just a single spell. Not even Celestia could do such a thing, or at least she never tried. The queen barred her teeth at the stallion as he finally turned to face her.

"You won't find me as easy to defeat." She snarled at him.

His reply was his infuriating smirk.

With a scream of rage, she shot a massive beam of green energy at him. With a simple backhand sweep of his scepter, he deflected the beam towards a section of the outpost's wall. The blast caused the wall to explode outward, bits of mortar and stone spraying into the night shrouded woods.

The queen could only look on in shock. "H...how?" She stuttered.

"You are simply going to have to do better than that." Tyranny informed her.

She turned back to him hatefully and charged him. She intended to shoot a glob of sticky substance at him at the last second and then use her horn to finish him. However, he saw it coming and side stepped the attack. The queen was unable to stop in time before tripping over the unicorn commander. She landed with a grunt and tried to pick herself up, but a large shadowy hand grabbed her and slammed her to the ground. The hand then lifted her up, slammed her into the side of a building, and then tossed her negligently to the ground. She hit the ground and skidded to a stop at the hooves of Tyranny. The shadow hand that originated from his free hoof, dissipated into nothingness.

"Yield." Was all he said to her.

With a glare she shot another beam of energy, this one with less power than she wished, point blank. Even the spirit of order could not dodge in time and he took the hit to his armored chest. He stepped back from the force of the attack and the queen was quick on her hooves to press the advantage. Before she could follow up with a second blast however, Tyranny glared back at her with an irritated expression and his eyes flashed an evil color. A second shadow hand engulfed her head, and again slammed her into a wall. The hand then lifted her well up into the air and then brought her back to the ground with enough force to make a small shockwave of dust.

This time, when Tyranny approached her, he did not have to ask her to yield.

"I yield." She cried after trying, and failing, to stand.

He snorted and lifted his forehoof menacingly at her.

" I yield, I said!" She yelled frantically.

This time a different energy beam shot out but this one did not harm her, but rather lifted her from the ground encased by a clear magical bubble. The queen looked confused and faintly relieved, but it was short lived as the magical bubble began to shrink in on itself and her along with it. Her scream of denial became as high pitched as that of a chipmunk as she and the bubble shrank down to the size of a marble.

The bubble then levitated to rest in his fore hoof, as he scrutinized his work.

"This will do for now." He said, and then the marble and queen both disappeared.

He then approached the still pinned changeling lieutenant who looked up at him in fear.

"Gather your kin and go back to your castle, and remain there until I have need of you." Tyranny commanded.

"Our, our queen?" The changeling stuttered.

"Will remain my prisoner. Her presence will ensure your compliance. Now do as you are told."

The changeling looked to his fellow kin uncertainly.

"Now!" Tyranny's voice carried.

The changelings wasted little time to flee the outpost and back towards their castle.

With that done, Tyranny walked back to the unicorn commander who was still trying to escape the goo. He turned to look defiantly at the approaching stallion.

"We won't serve you, no matter what you do to us." He said.

"We shall see." Tyranny said unperturbed at his defiance. "Fortunately, I do not need you personally for my designs."

The commander looked to him confused at that.

"Fear not, for this is not your end."

With little change of expression, a dark beam shot from his free hoof that struck the commander in the chest. The ray did not harm the unicorn, but slowly and steadily, it turned his body completely black. The unicorn cried out in panic as it engulfed him; once he was completely turned black, his body cracked and shattered like glass; the fragments dissipating into nothingness. The unicorn's armor clanked to the ground, all of the ponies who saw it happen could only look on in horror.

Tyranny only smiled wider as his eyes flashed again, and soon the discarded armor rose up and was filled by a creature made of shadow. Completely black save for a pair of pure white, round eyes, the creature did neither sport wings nor a horn or a cutie mark. It was vaguely pony shaped, save for its head, which was perfectly round.

Tyranny looked at the shadow creature and a wicked grin crossed his face. He then turned his attention to all of the remaining ponies of the outpost. All screams and pleas for mercy were soon silenced.

Twilight walked alongside one of the wagons of the small force of royal guard ponies. It was their fifth day since they had left Canterlot and her mind once again wandered to the final conversation with Princess Celestia.

_"I need you and your friends to gather the elements of harmony and join Princess Luna and a small number of the royal guard and head to the outpost and find out what has happened there. If it is the changelings like our scout hinted at, your numbers should be enough to deal with them. Between your friends, Luna, and yourself, you should be able to defeat them."_

_ Twilight nodded, they had done so before. "Yes princess Celestia." She had said before turning to leave._

_ "One more thing Twilight." Celestia added gravely. "If it is Tyranny who is behind this, use the elements. He is likely a foe too powerful to defeat without them; and Twilight, be warned, Tyranny is a master manipulator. He will say things in an attempt to deceive and control you. So warn your friends as well if he attempts to speak to you."_

_ Twilight smiled confidently. "Don't worry princess, it will never happen. If my friends and I can handle Discord, we can handle Tyranny."_

_ Celestia smiled warmly. "I have faith in you Princess Twilight." She had said._

As Twilight walked alongside the wagon, she looked ahead to the other two wagons that made up their caravan. They contained supplies for the trip, the foremost wagon was for Princess Luna to rest within after her nightly duties with the moon, stars, and dreams for the pony folk. The day was hot and dry, and the few clouds that flew overhead did not offer much relief when they walked under their shadows.

"So Twilight." She heard Spike say from the back of the wagon, she slowed her pace to walk behind the wagon to see him. "How much longer do you think we have to go?" He asked.

"I don't know Spike; I haven't been to this part of Equestria before. It can't be too much further though, we are not too far from the border last I saw on the map."

"Ugh, all this dust from the road is just ruining my mane." Rarity complained from the wagon. The white unicorn reclined on a few pillows within, with Spike fanning her with a large feathered fan. Fluttershy sat calmly nearby with a few birds flying near her; a young sparrow zipped and zagged outside the wagon while she watched.

"Ooh, that is very nice." The yellow pegasus said to the sparrow.

"What is he doing?" Twilight asked curiously, watching the apparently crazy looking bird.

"Oh, he is just showing me how well he flies, he only recently left the nest on his own. It is a very important day to young birds." The pegasus said as she smiled softly as the bird flew off.

"I guess it would." Twilight allowed. If only she could learn to fly as well as the sparrow. With the bird however the ability to fly was instinctive; with her she had to learn, which was a much slower and painful process.

It was still midsummer and the day's heat was almost oppressive. Twilight soon found herself baking under the sun.

"Don't suppose you could fan me for a while Spike?" She asked the dragon.

"Oh Twilight, you shouldn't be out in the sun for so long without something to cover your head, dear. Here, I have this for you." Rarity said, she then used her magic to levitate a white sun hat from one of her suitcases. It was much like the one Rarity wore now, save for this one was white with a purple band, and Rarity's a purple color and a white band. Both had a few artistic embellishments added to them as Rarity was known to do.

The white hat sat easily on her head. "Thanks Rarity. When did you make this?"

"Oh I made them after our day at the lake. I felt everypony should have something to wear the next time we spent the day there. I made one for everyone." She continued to say as two more hats appeared from the cases and levitated to Fluttershy and Spike. Their colorings were much the same as their coats and mane and scales and spines respectfully. "I even made one for Applejack, even though I know she'll never part with that old Stetson she favors."

"What's wrong with mah hat?" Came Applejack's voice, looking to Rarity with a raised eyebrow as she joined Twilight at the back of the wagon.

"Nothing is wrong with it dear." Rarity said without missing a beat. "It is just well…worn."

"That's how ya know it's a good hat." Applejack said firmly.

"Have you seen Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked the orange earth pony before a debate on hats could start.

"She's out scoutin around with the other pegasus guards, keepin an eye out for us. Ya know she ain't one ta sit around when she could be doin something."

Twilight nodded. "And Pinkie?"

"She's up with the other guards and the princess, tellin jokes and keepin spirits up. Keepin folks laughin as Pinkie does. And here I thought nopony could make the royal guards laugh, but leave it ta Pinkie."

Twilight smiled, it was something the pink mare did well, making others laugh.

"One'a the guards I was talkin too said the outpost shouldn't be too far ahead. We should get there about evening time." Applejack continued to say.

"Good, we are not too far away then." Twilight said.

Fluttershy's sparrow came back then, chirping excitedly to her.

"You have? Oh my goodness, what did you see?" She asked of the avian creature.

The bird chirped some more.

"Oh my goodness." She said, covering her mouth with both forehooves.

"What?" The ponies and dragon all said union.

"Our little friend here said he just came back from the outpost we are going to. He said it is deserted and quiet, and that he felt uneasy being there." She said worriedly.

Twilight nodded firmly, standing straighter. "I'll tell the princess and see if we can pick up the pace. The sooner we get there the sooner we will have our answers."

"Do we have to?" Fluttershy asked in a small voice.

"Yes we do Fluttershy." She said as she raced ahead to the princess's wagon.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

They arrived at the outpost a short time later; the woods surrounding it were forlorn and eerily quiet. The afternoon sun still shone brightly above but all there could feel a sense of gloom pressing down over the place. Many wary and worried glances were shared as they entered through the ruined remains of the wall. True to the sparrows words the outpost was deserted, all around was evidence of a battle; the blasted wall being chief among them. There was no sign of the Equestrian Guard or the changelings; though the hardened remains of their binding goo was all around the outpost, they themselves were not to be seen. The royal guard fanned out to investigate the outpost by command of Princess Luna while Twilight and her friends searched around the courtyard.

Twilight herself was investigating a point in the court yard, where a strange indention in the ground was evident and she puzzled over why it was there when she had not seen others of it's like around elsewhere outside the outpost.

"What do ya think happened here Twi?" Applejack asked as Twilight looked over the deepest depression.

"I'm not sure. It certainly looks like it was the changelings, but there is no sign of their feeding anywhere. The damage done to the wall could have been done by Chrysalis, but why destroy the wall when they can fly over it?" She glanced downward. "And these depressions, it looks like something heavy landed here."

"Ya think it was Tyranny then?"

Twilight did not look certain; she continued to survey the area. "I don't know." Was all she said.

Her friends joined her then, each of them looking nervous save for Pinkie, who never seemed to let much at all bother her.

"Rarity, Fluttershy, did you see anything?" Twilight asked the two.

"Not a thing dear." Rarity said, with Fluttershy only nodding in agreement.

"Pinkie?"

"I saw more of the green goo but nothing else. I did find barely cakes in the kitchen and they're still good. Want some?" She asked as she presented the offered cakes.

"No Pinkie." Twilight said dryly. Pinkie's levity was surprising at times.

"More for us." She said, and made the offer to the others, with only Rainbow Dash being the only taker.

"What? No sense wasting them." Rainbow Dash said as she finished hers quickly.

"Did you see anything Rainbow?" Twilight asked.

The pegasus swallowed the last of the barely cake. "I didn't see any sign of the changelings or fighting outside of the wall."

"Not outside the wall." She echoed. She then noticed two more depressions; one against a building, the other against the wall. She again went thoughtfully quiet as she worked over the information in her head.

"What are you thinking Twilight Sparkle?" Luna asked as she landed softly near them.

Twilight did not immediately respond. "I think that this was not just the changelings alone. The barracks, and the green goo here was no doubt them, but these depressions were not caused by them. The changeling queen could have blasted out the wall, but she would not have used that much power against the guards here. She might have if she was battling you, princess, or princess Celestia; but not against ponies like us."

"You should not belittle yourself Twilight." Luna said.

"I'm not princess, I was making a point is all. The point would be she would have to be facing someone strong. Since it was not you or princess Celestia, or Discord; I can only think of one other who it would have been."

"Tyranny." Luna answered, to which Twilight nodded.

"You don't think he was the one who released the changelings in the first place do you?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"He would have had to been the one, unless Discord had something to do with it."

"He didn't" Fluttershy said with conviction.

Twilight did not argue. "That leaves Tyranny; he would have the power to destroy the costume I enchanted."

"He destroyed my costume?!" Pinkie shrieked.

They all winced at her volume; even a few guards looked over at the outburst.

"It is the only way the changelings could have escaped." Twilight said as the ringing in her ears faded.

The pink earth mare pouted, sitting down with her fore hooves crossed. "Hmph, I'll have to give him an earful when I see him about that."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "If I know Chrysalis at all, she likely used him to free herself and her changelings; and then tried to betray him." She looked then to the indentions in the ground and walls pointedly. "Which did not turn out in her favor."

Luna nodded. "I had come to much the same conclusion. Now it begs the question. Where have the changeling queen and her minions gone after the betrayal, and where has the Equestrian Guard gone to? There have been no sign of anypony leaving the barracks. Finally, where has Tyranny gone from here?"

"All good questions Princess." Applejack said to her.

One of the earth pony guards walked up to them, bowing low before the princesses.

"What did you find?" Luna asked him.

"I've come from the armory princess; all of the Equestrian armor is missing. Yet strangely, all of the weapons remain."

"Strange."

"Now why take the armor and not the weapons?" Rarity asked.

"Would the changelings have taken it?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight shook her head. "A changeling's anatomy would make wearing armor meant for ponies impractical at best."

"Curious." Which was echoed by the others.

Then a pegasus scout flew overhead. "Your majesties, I found a set of tracks heading north."

"How many?" Luna asked him.

"One that I could tell. It might have been made by a large stallion."

"Tyranny." Was the collective thought.

It was a few days later when they stumbled upon an overturned wagon. It was a small enough wagon for it to be pulled by a single pony, and as they got closer to it, it became increasingly familiar to the ponies from Ponyville.

"Is that?" Applejack asked, squinting.

"Trixie's wagon?" Twilight finished looking on curiously.

The two rushed ahead of their caravan, joined quickly by their friends, to find the blue unicorn sitting next to her overturned wagon. She appeared worn and haggard, but stood up quickly as she heard running hooves.

"Back! I warn you! The Great and Powerful…Twilight!" She yelled as she recognized the approaching alicorn. "What are you doing out here?" She demanded.

"Trixie, what happened to you and your wagon?" Twilight asked.

"Who did you anger this time around?" Rainbow Dash growled at her.

"Rainbow!" Twilight admonished. "Go ahead Trixie."

Trixie glared at the offending pegasus before looking to Twilight. "It was awful. A large stallion was on the road heading the opposite way of The Great and Powerful Trixie and would not step aside for her. Despite that he walked alone and she was pulling her wagon. When she demanded that he show manners and move aside, he…." She choked a bit. "He used magic Twilight, he looked like an earth pony but he wielded magic more powerful than Trixie had ever seen. His eyes, they glowed for an instant, and Trixie and her wagon were thrown aside like some sort of refuse. Trixie has not been able to get her wagon upright again." She said forlornly.

Twilight looked over the fallen wagon, she could likely get it back up right herself but it would take some effort. Applejack followed Twilight's gaze and could see where her train of thought was heading.

"We can get it upright Twi, ya don't need to use ya magic when we can do the same with a little muscle work."

"You want to help –her- out?" Rainbow asked crossly.

"Oh come on Rainbow Dash, would you just turn away from somepony who genuinely needs help?" Rarity asked. "Even if it is Trixie." Her tone to the final words clearly indicating she had not forgotten the show mare's previous actions either.

Rainbow huffed. "Fine."

Applejack retrieved a few coils of rope from one of their wagons and tied them to the opposing side of the wagon. With all of their combined help, they managed to get Trixie's wagon back on its wheels.

"Trixie thanks you all." The blue unicorn said grudgingly.

"You're welcome." Rainbow said tartly.

"So where is your hat and cape Trixie?" Pinkie Pie asked out of the blue.

It was then Twilight noticed that the show mare was not wearing her favored star covered hat and cape combo.

"Trixie…does not know. She has yet to find them." She said.

Twilight frowned briefly but that was when Princess Luna stood next to her to address the blue unicorn.

"The stallion that did this was he tall and dark coated, and carried a gold scepter?"

The unicorn nodded. "He was indeed princess."

"I see, thank you." Luna said before returning to her caravan. "Twilight, we should continue on."

Twilight turned to Trixie. "Will you be alright then?"

The show mare nodded. "The Great and Powerful Trixie can look after herself." She said extravagantly.

"But can't seem to right her own wagon." Rainbow Dash said sarcastically from above then flew off.

Twilight rolled her eyes and joined her caravan, taking the path northward.

The blue unicorn watched them go until they were out of sight, then in a puff of black smoke, the visage of the show mare faded away; in her place was one of Tyranny's shadow beasts. It quietly relayed all it saw and heard to its master before disappearing in another puff of black smoke.

Not far away from it, the cap and cloak of the show mare sat forlornly in the tall grass, their owner not long ago sharing the same fate as those from the outpost.

In Canterlot castle, Princess Celestia walked calmly down a walkway towards the guest rooms of her castle. A light rain fell this morning, but she was unbothered by the falling water. The weather pegasi had done another wonderful job in putting together the rain storm today. While she did prefer the nice, clear, sunny days; she did realize that the rain was just as necessary as her sunlight.

She made her way into the wing of the castle set aside for visitors and found the rooms that she had given Tourmaline and her brother. She knocked politely on Tourmaline's door.

"Coming!" Princess Celestia heard the startled voice of the pegasus from within, as well has a thump, followed by an annoyed "Ow!"

The princess smiled in humor, but waited for the door to open; once it did she could see Tourmaline peeking out. Her eyes widen and she quickly opened the door as she saw who her visitor was.

"Princess Celestia, I'm sorry, you caught me sleeping." She said, for it was apparent that the pegasus had just gotten out of bed. Her mane was tussled and had yet to be combed and a quick glance inward Celestia could see the blankets of her bed on the ground; tossed there in her rush to answer the door.

"It is alright, I had thought to invite you to have breakfast with me."

"I would princess Celestia, I just need a moment to freshen up. I'd never live it down if I showed up a mess for a meal with the princess." She smiled wanly.

Celestia chuckled softly. "Alright, I will see you down momentarily then. I will check with your brother while I am here."

"Alright, I won't be long." Tourmaline quickly closed the door, muttering to herself as she quickly found her brush and began sorting through the tangles of her teal colored mane.

Celestia made her way to the next room and found that it was slightly ajar, she pushed it open and found the rust colored unicorn at a desk writing away in a tome; a number of maps were scattered around him.

"May I come in?" She asked from the doorway.

He turned at the sound of her voice and nodded easily. "Yes, princess, please do." He sat down his quill and bowed before her; being more mindful of proper etiquette than his sister.

"I am glad to see that your return from stone has not been so hard on you."

He winced a bit at the mention of his time being made a statue. "It was difficult princess, but I am well on my way to a full recovery thanks to you and Princess Luna. I truly thank you for your help."

"I am glad to have helped, though I cannot take full credit either. It was with Discord's help, that we were finally able to purify you." She glanced past him to the window that was streaked with rain water. "Would you and your sister care to join me for breakfast this morning?"

"Of course, I would not turn down such an offer." They both looked towards Tourmaline's room as there was a surprised shout of "Horse feathers!" as Tourmaline's shower water was colder than anticipated.

"As tactful as a troll..." Tormod sighed, and then looked to the princess. "I apologize for my sister, she can be…willful at times."

She smiled to him. "It is alright, I have heard far worse in my time. I will see you both down for breakfast soon."

"Of course Princess." He said and bowed low again.

Celestia sat at the head of the table as the waiters cleaned up after a pleasant breakfast with the siblings. The two shared many tales of their adventures they have had, together with their friend Wanderer. The three apparently had known each other since fillyhood and have been together ever since. They had all found their cutie marks shortly after the other; Wanderer had been the first to gain his, as he was constantly wandering in many places he was not intended to go. Tourmaline earned hers from finding missing valuables from their hometown that had been lost to thieves. Finally Tormod had earned his when he found that his love of studying maps and working with navigation equipment was his special talent. Their combined special talents had made them the adventuring troupe that had been known as. From their own words, it was usually Wanderer who discovered leads for hidden discoveries and treasures. They spoke of him often and to Celestia, it sounded as if they really respected him.

"It sounds to me as if you all are great friends." She said to them.

"We are princess; we'd do almost anything for each other. We've faced monsters, difficult adventurers and faced harsh weather; but this last one. None of us were prepared for what happened." Tormod said.

"How could you have been Tormod? What you found, I had hoped none would have ever been able to find. I had let the jungle grow wild so that it would hide the temple away forever." She sighed. "But his influence seemed to expand to even keep that from hiding him."

"Is there any way to save Wanderer, princess?" Tourmaline asked.

The princess looked to her, her expression showed that the answer was important to her. "We will certainly try, Tourmaline. But first, Tyranny must be found before we can try to save Wanderer."

The pegasus nodded, accepting the answer.

The princess stood from the table. "You both are allowed to remain here as my guests until we find your friend, but you need not remain just within the castle. Please see Canterlot while you are here, the city has much to offer that ponies like yourself will be pleased to see."

"We will princess; again we thank you for your generosity." Tormod said, to which Tourmaline agreed with quickly.

A guard pony approached and offered the princess a letter.

"From my sister?" She asked.

"Yes princess, it is a report on their venture." He said.

She nodded and scanned over the letter, she then gasped softly. The two siblings looked to her concerned.

"What is wrong princess?" Tourmaline asked concern in her tone.

"They might have found a lead on your friend." She said softly, her tone leaving them with the feeling that the news is not likely good.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

That night after Twilight and her fiends helped Trixie, the six ponies and one dragon sat around a campfire talking. Luna had raised the moon already, and a warm breeze blew through the forest around them. Their conversation was mostly on thoughts of home, homesickness had struck, but they knew that they were still needed elsewhere.

"I wonder how Sweetie Belle is doing?" Rarity said. "Goodness knows that she and the girls can find their way into no small amount of trouble."

"Oh, the girls are not all that bad." Fluttershy said. "True they can get into trouble, but they are not as bad as that."

"You should have seen Sugar Cube Corner after they tried to be bakers," Pinkie Pie said. "It was one doozy of a mess, a delicious mess, but still a mess."

"Or when they tried their hooves at being librarians," Spike muttered. "I still have nightmares." Twilight also winced at the memory.

"The girls'll find their way, I don't doubt'em," Applejack said. "I just hope they don't really hurt themselves trying all the crazy things they do."

Rainbow Dash nodded idly, looking around the camp with an exasperated expression. "All this talk of home is kind of depressing; we should do something that isn't such a downer."

"Oh, oh, me! I have an idea!" Pinkie raised a hoof excitedly.

"What're you thinking Pinkie?" Rainbow asked.

"A song," She said cheerily, a banjo already in hoof to play.

"Where did you get that?" Applejack asked.

"I had it with me the whole time," the pink mare said airily and began to strum the banjo, she then broke out into a fast pace, folksy campfire song.

"_Oh we're sitting around the campfire here tonight._

_The night is all around, it's such a fright._

_We're sitting around the campfire_

_Telling tales of walking trails._

_We're sitting around the campfire here tonight._

_Oh the marshmallows are'a roasting, they're so yum._

_Eating melted smores is so much fun_

_We're sitting around the campfire_

_Eating smores and fighting off the snores_

_We're sitting around the campfire here tonight._

_Oh I'm sitting at the campfire with my friends_

_With no one else, the day I'd rather spend_

_We're sitting here together_

_Cause together is so much better_

_We're sitting around the campfire here tonight._

During the course of her song, Pinkie gleefully involved her friends and many of the royal guard. It did not take long for her friends to join in, and even a few of the normally stoic royal guards began to sing and laugh along.

After the laughter had settled down Twilight looked around the camp curiously.

"Where is Princess Luna?" she asked aloud. Twilight had not heard the princess sing along with the song or even saw her once since they set camp.

"She went to have a look around, guess she was feeling bored," Rainbow Dash told her.

Twilight nodded easily and looked at Fluttershy curiously. The yellow pegasus, who a moment ago was smiling and singing along with everyone else, was now quiet. She was looking off into the woods with a troubled frown.

"What is wrong Fluttershy?" Twilight asked her with concern.

"I … " she said quietly, her worried expression growing. She walked a short distance out of the camp, Twilight followed her out of curiosity. "It's quiet."

Twilight smiled faintly to her. "Well after Pinkie Pie's singing, it would seem that way," she said lightheartedly.

"It's not that, the woods are quiet. I don't hear any of the woodland creatures around us."

Twilight then listened to the woods as well. Fluttershy was right; the woods around them were eerily quiet. There were no sounds of owls, insects, or other creatures of the night. With it being midsummer, the sounds of nature should have almost been deafening.

"What could …" she began

"Twilight!" she heard Spike scream.

The two turned back and stood in shock, as a large black puff of smoke appeared in front of them. A creature of black shadow stepped from the smoke before them. It was vaguely pony shaped; it's only features were it perfectly round white eyes and the armor it wore, which was a darkened version of the Equestrian Armor used by the guard ponies.

"What is that?!" Fluttershy screamed.

"Don't know!" Twilight yelled, before jumping aside as the creature lunged at them.

Not far away from the camp, princess Luna glided easily over the forest canopy. Her moon shown in the sky above, basking the entire wood in a soothing pale light. Luna enjoyed this, flying quietly under the moon light. She was the princess of both the moon and the night; while her sister watched over their subjects during the day, she watched them during the night. She frequently slipped into the dreams of the ponies under her care and helped those with nightmares to face their fears. Because of this, Luna was beloved by her subjects for her compassion. That did not mean she did not take time for herself, like enjoying a peaceful flight during the quiet of the night, but she was first and foremost the princess of the night.

Tonight was an excellent night for flying; a cool breeze flowed steadily above the trees, making it perfect for gliding. Luna flew alone to be with her thoughts, it was not uncommon for her to do so. Her guards were used to her going off alone; the princess was more than capable of defending herself from aggressors.

She spotted a small clearing ahead, landing lightly within. She looked around to see if it was empty and sat down to stare at the night sky. She reflected back on the years since her return to Equestria. Since then the ponies of her country came to accept and love her after a millennia of them fearing her name. They no longer feared her as Nightmare Moon; her thanks were owed to Twilight and her friends for both her return and her acceptance with the common pony folk. The second chance she was given was one she swore she would not waste.

Her ears twitched as the sounds of loud singing reached them. She recognized the cheerful voice of Pinkie Pie to start, then followed by the voices of everypony else. Luna smiled softly, she was glad they all were enjoying themselves. Their journey had little to be cheerful of so far, and it promised to not get much better. As the song faded Luna went back to her star gazing. She then frowned as she heard a different sound originate from the camp; shouts and cries of alarm.

"Oh no," she breathed, and prepared herself to fly off to aid them.

"And just where do you think you're going?" A voice from behind her said, a voice she had not heard in over a millennia.

The lavender alicorn and yellow pegasus ran back to the camp, and they both saw more of the shadow beasts fighting the guards and their other friends. The shadow beasts made not a sound as they fought, but for every buck, punch, or body blow they took, they gave back in turn.

Twilight saw three press Applejack and she was quick to blast two of them away. Applejack then bucked the remaining one on its chin that sent the creature tumbling away.

"Twilight, where'd ya-Behind you!" the earth mare yelled with alarm. Twilight was not much for physical violence, but instinct kicked in and she also lashed out with a two legged buck that caught the creature behind her between the eyes. It stumbled back but did not fall; turning quickly Twilight blasted it with a powerful blast of magic. The creature did not try to dodge as it was struck; it disappeared in a puff of black smoke as the magic passed through it. The armor it wore clanged to the ground lifelessly.

"Thanks Applejack," she said breathlessly.

"Don't worry Twi. What are these things?" Applejack asked.

"I don't know. They seem to be made of some black substance. I've never read of them before."

"We have to do something, they just keep coming," Applejack said, she then had to turn and meet the charge of another shadow creature.

Twilight turned her magic to aid her friends. Rarity also used her magic and her surprising martial prowess to fend off her attackers. Rainbow swopped down and out, rushing and kicking the creatures that seemed unable to catch her. Pinkie had all manner of different ways of defending herself, all ranging from clever to amusing, yet all were effective. Fluttershy stayed near Twilight, the pegasus was not a fighter. Spike used his flame breath to drive the creatures away from him and Rarity. The royal guard was holding their own against the creatures.

"Twilight!" hearing Fluttershy's panicked outcry, she turned, expecting another creature to be charging at them. Instead she saw the armor of the first creature rise off the ground and another, or was it the same, creature fill the armor. Once it was fully formed it attacked once again. Twilight was so shocked by this that she did not react in time. It was Fluttershy who saved her, the pegasus throwing herself into the creature's side; sending it tumbling away. Twilight recovered and blasted it again; it disappeared in a puff of smoke and the armor again falling lifeless to the ground.

"They can rejuvenate?" she asked, beside herself.

"This is never going to end," Rarity said frantically.

"We've got this," Rainbow called down. "If they want to get their flanks kicked more than once, we'd be happy to give it to them." She charged down and somersaulted once, landing with both hind hooves on top of the head of a creature. It dissipated in a puff of smoke from the blow. "Ha! You guys are such pushovers. Can't do anything with me in the air."

In response, three of the creatures sprouted a pair of shadowy wings and flew in the air to meet her.

"Didn't see that coming," Rainbow muttered and took off, the three now winged creatures in close pursuit.

Rainbow darted and weaved through the trees, trying to lose her pursuers. The shadow creatures were closing in on her she realized. She needed to do something to get rid of them.

"Gotta lose these guys," she said to herself. She saw a branch on a tree growing out perfectly horizontal. With a wicked grin she sped ahead and grabbed hold of the branch, pulling it back as far as she could. She released it at the right time and the branch swung out, catching the closest full in the face, causing it to dissipate into nothingness.

"Yeah!" she cheered, followed by a quick "Whoa!" As another darted at her, which she managed to dodge.

"They just don't give up," she took off with the last two in close pursuit.

"Rainbow, Rainbow! Over here!" she heard Pinkie's cry. Rainbow could see the pink mare had her party cannon aimed at her. She smiled wickedly and swooped low over Pinkie's head.

"Now!" she cried as she flew over the pink mare.

On cue, Pinkie let loose with a blast from her cannon. The blast caught both creatures unaware with a blob of cooking dough. The two flew backwards, crashing into the trees and dissipated. The remaining armor however was stuck in the globs of sticky dough.

"Ahh yeah!" they both cheered and shared a high hoof.

They both returned to help their friends, but could see that the fighting was nearly over; the fallen armor of the creatures ceasing to rise.

"Why did they stop Twilight?" Spike asked as he warily nudged a fallen helmet of a shadow creature.

"I don't know Spike, none of this makes sense."

"Any idea where they came from?" Applejack asked.

Before Twilight could respond, Rainbow Dash spoke up loudly.

"Where's princess Luna?"

They all gave a collective gasp, looking around. It was then they heard the sounds of fighting off in the distance. Twilight could see the flashes of light in that direction, magical lights.

"Princess Luna!" she cried and the six took off towards the source of the lights.

"It has been some time Luna." Tyranny said as he appeared from out of nowhere behind her. "I truly hadn't expected to see you so soon. Did Celestia send you to pursue me?"

"Why are you here Tyranny?" she asked, turning to face the imposing stallion.

"I merely wished to take the measure of Equestria's _lesser_ ruler." he said snidely.

She did not allow him to bait her. "What have you done with the ponies of the outpost? What did you do to them?" she demanded, determined to get answers from him.

He gave her his sardonic grin. "I merely recruited them to further my designs. They make the most excellent and loyal minions. As your caravan has no doubt found."

She scowled at him and set herself. "What is your ploy Tyranny?"

"That is enough questions my dear. Time to take your measure. Defend yourself if you can." He also set himself, putting aside his scepter.

With a quick huff the princess of the moon and the spirit of order charged each other. The two butted heads, Luna's horn barely scratching his forehead. The two jostled a moment before Luna lashed out with her front hooves, causing Tyranny to block with his own. Luna spun around quick as a cat and bucked; Tyranny in turned crossed his fore hooves in a block. The force of Luna's kick had him skidding backwards.

He lowered his guard only be seen sneering at her. "Impressive." He then dashed back in, lashing out with measure jabs. Luna, the quicker of the two, dodged them but hopped back to avoid a sweeping back hoof blow. Tyranny followed it up with a blast of energy from his hooves. Luna quickly put up a magical barrier and the ray of energy burst into sparks as it struck. Tyranny followed the first ray with a barrage of others and Luna felt her barrier buckling under the onslaught. As her barrier failed, she took to the sky.

Tyranny watched her as she hovered above. "Has your power waned ever the millennia?"

"No more than your ability to change" she countered.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, a shadow hand flew out from his right fore hoof. Her eyes widened and she dodged aside; the hand flew past harmlessly. She turned in time to see Tyranny only a few inches from her face, scepter in hoof in a back hoof swipe. As she plummeted down to the ground, she righted herself at the last moment flying low over the ground and back up to meet the levitating stallion. Again he fired another ray of energy at her, which she dodged. She used a different tactic and emitted a bright flash of light from her horn. Caught off guard, Tyranny covered his eyes and Luna did not waste time in hitting him with a focused blast of magic of her own. The hit sent him skyward with a grunt; growling in frustration he dissipated her magic and swooped down after her. She flew up to meet him and at the last second pulled up sharply and flew just inches above him. She kicked down with her hind legs, and caught him between the shoulder blades; sending him plummeting towards the ground.

Before she could enjoy the clever ploy, he whirled and fired a shadow hand from his free hoof that caught her by the hind legs and pulled her down with him. The two crashed nearly simultaneously to the ground. Luna stood quickly and braced herself for another attack, but found Tyranny only picking himself off the ground and dusting himself off.

"Impressive. You are a much better fighter than I anticipated," he said as he looked to her, his body language did not speak of further hostilities.

"Maybe it is you who has weakened Tyranny. I recall you not being much for a personal encounter. Now answer my question, what is it that you plot?"

He sneered. "I had thought it obvious, my lady. That I intend to bring all of Equestria under my rule, and in doing so, see to it that strife, chaos, and disorder become a thing of the past."

"It is because of tyrants like you that they never truly fade," she said hotly.

"Because individuals like you are unwilling to make the necessary sacrifice to make it a reality."

"Do not speak to me of sacrifice," she bristled.

He chuckled mockingly at her. "Then it is true. Your own return to Equestria has not been too long ago either. Under less than harmonious circumstances as I am aware."

She glared at him.

"What was it? A thousand years imprisonment in the moon? By your sister no less. What was her reason for doing so?"

"She did it to save Equestria from the dangers that I and the Nightmare I became presented," she said, unable to keep all the regret from her tone.

"And you honestly believe that?"

She narrowed her eyes at him dangerously.

"True, the monster you became did need to be dealt with, but a thousand years imprisonment was her justification? I think not. Have you ever stopped to wonder why she never released you before hoof?"

She gritted her teeth.

"Perhaps she had other reasons to keep you locked away in the moon? Think of it, two sisters sharing the same throne would no doubt cause a separation among their followers; thus causing a country to be divided between them. A divided country would only lead to strife and war, so what better way to unify a country, than to remove the competition?"

"Be silent," she whispered.

"Your becoming a Nightmare over petty jealously proved to be the ultimate reason to harmlessly do away with you and cement Celestia as Equestria's sole ruler."

"Be silent," she spoke louder.

"True, an act of compassion may have allowed your release and eventual reformation. That bringing you back to her side, but only after it was widely accepted that Celestia was the ruler of Equestria. Even after the years of your return, your name is not the one the ponies cry out for when they are in dire straits."

"Be silent." Even louder.

"I can attest to you, it is not," he sneered sardonically at her outburst.

"Be silent!" she yelled at the top of her lungs and lashed out with a raged filled blast of energy from her horn.

The stallion was caught off guard and the blast hit him squarely on the chin, jerking his head to the side and sending him stumbling backwards.

He turned back slowly, his grin still there but his eyes were intense. He again chuckled mockingly at her. "Seems I am _not_ the only one then."

"Princess Luna!" they heard a concerned shout from the trees. Turning in time to see Twilight and her friends emerge into the clearing. Seeing the dark stallion, the six rushed to Luna's side.

"Princess Luna, are you alright?" Twilight asked, noting the rough marks and scratches on her coat.

"I am fine Twilight Sparkle," she said, glad for the arrival of the Elements of Harmony.

"Ah, so this is Equestria's newest princess," Tyranny said as he looked to the new arrivals.

"And just who are you supposed to be?" Rainbow Dash demanded.

He raised one eyebrow questionably. "You are unaware? Celestia continues misleads her minions I see."

"Who are you calling a minion?!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

"Enough of your games Tyranny. These are the bearers of the Elements of Harmony; they will be the ones to see your reign ends before it ever began!"

"That is Tyranny?" Pinkie asked Twilight.

Twilight nodded to her. "Yes it is—" before she could say anything more, the pink mare was suddenly eye to eye with the spirit of order.

"You buster, owe me a new costume! That one you ruined was special!" she said poking him in the chest. "Now apologize!"

He narrowed his eyes at her and an aura surrounded the mare; she was roughly tossed back to her friends.

Tyranny snorted dismissively and looked back at Luna. "As enjoyable as I found our little encounter, it is not yet time for me to deal with you or the bearers of harmony."

"You running scared?" Rainbow Dash taunted, helping Pinkie back to her hooves.

He turned his gaze to her. "We will meet again soon," he said firmly. Without so much as a change in expression he faded from sight and was gone.

They all breathed a sigh of relief and Twilight again looked back at Luna.

"What did he say to you Princess?"

"Lies, princess Twilight, all lies," she responded, though Twilight frowned a bit at a subtle difference in her tone. "You must all ware his words, he will bend and twist them to his advantage and seek to cause doubt. Doubt in his greatest weapon and he will not hesitate to use it."

Tyranny's laughter was heard around them. "I head north, if you wish to stop me, come and find me," his voice faded and was not heard again that night.

"Arrogant lout," Rarity snorted

"Ya got that right," Applejack agreed.

"Come, we should all get our rest and send message to my sister of what occurred here," Luna said.

The others nodded in agreement and they all headed back for the camp.

Fluttershy lagged behind a bit and Twilight slowed to walk alongside her.

"Fluttershy?"

The shy pegasus looked to her quickly then stole a glance to Luna, who was ahead of them. The dark blue alicorn seemed lost in her own thoughts.

"Its princess Luna, she …" she hesitated. "She looks like she is hurting."

Twilight again looked to the princess then back to her friend. "What do you mean? She just got out of a fight with Tyranny."

"It is not that … oh sorry, I, I brought it up," she said and trotted to catch up to the others.

Twilight watched her go and then paused to look back towards the clearing; her own thoughts inward. She could only guess at what had transpired between Princess Luna and Tyranny; she made a note of it to ask her when she got the chance.

When they arrived back at the camp, they could see the royal guard ponies patching up wounds and repairing the wagons. Spike came running up to them as they appeared, the young dragon was relieved to see them unhurt.

"Twilight, everyone, I'm glad you're alright. What happened out there?" he asked.

"Tyranny made an appearance, he and princess Luna fought," Twilight answered.

The dragon looked to the princess with a measure of awe. "Did you beat him princess?"

"I did not; he fled not long after the others arrived to aid me," she said, looking to the royal guard commander nearby. "Are any hurt?"

"Bumps and bruises princess. None are seriously hurt," he reported.

"What was it that attacked the camp? Describe them for me," she asked intently.

The guard hesitated a moment. "They were all black, shadow like creatures, princess. They wore Equestrian armor and had pure white eyes."

"And they grew wings," Rainbow added.

"And disappeared in a _poof_ when you beat them," Pinkie Pie added, throwing both of her arms out at the 'poof' to greater emphasize the point.

"Once ya did put'em down, the armor came back to life after'a little bit. With another of them shadows in'em," Applejack said.

Looking around the camp Luna noticed that there was no discarded armor littering the ground. "The armor?"

"Faded away princess. Shortly after the bearers went to help you," the guard said.

She frowned. "Troubling," she then addressed the entire camp. "Get your rest, we head north come daylight." She looked to Twilight as the camp moved to finish their work. "Please bring your dragon friend to my wagon princess Twilight. We need to send letter to my sister."

"Of course princess," she said. "Come on Spike." The young dragon was quick to gather his writing implements.


End file.
